Chapter 86: Stand Up And Take Ownership

"Well you can't take the Porsche or the Chevelle." Danny states in the bullpen of the 5-4 "Take a squad car."

"Why?" Eddie inquires.

"You take either of those cars to the dealership…" Danny begins to explain "…and they will think you are made of money and jack the price of the vehicle up sky high."

"All the prices are online now Danny." Jamie points out.

"Fine do whatever you want but I was right about the baby store wasn't I?" Danny points out.

Eddie looks at her brother in law and pouts before turning to look at her husband "But I really wanted to pull up to the dealership IN my Porsche."

"You're cute." Danny tells his sister in law "But then you've never had to actually negotiate and buy your own vehicle so I'll cut you some slack."

Eddie turns her attention back to Danny "What does that mean?"

"Exactly what I just said it means. Your Dad gave you your Porsche…" Danny tells Eddie before looking at Jamie "…and Dad gave you the Chevelle! Neither of you have ever actually had to BUY your own vehicles!"

"Hey!" Jamie rejects "I bought the Mustang!"

"Oh right." Danny remembers "Forgot about that one."

"So what are you saying we're privileged or something…" Eddie counters back "…because I'll have you know that those cars cost a lot to maintain and we pay for that all ourselves!"

"I know." Danny confirms "All I'm saying is there is an art to vehicle negotiations that's all so don't shoot yourself in the foot before you even start."

"Pretty sure I can handle it Danny..." Jamie tosses back "But thanks."

….

Jamie holds the door to the dealership open and let's his wife walk inside first.

"Hello!" They are greeted "What can we help you with today?"

"We are looking for a Porsche Macan – baseline model." Eddie states.

"Sure." The male salesman accepts as he flashes Eddie a smile then focuses on Jamie "Right this way." he prompts with welcoming gesture of his arm to him.

Eddie narrows her eyes at feeling dismissed.

The salesman walks them over to a display model and opens the door for Jamie to get in the driver's seat but Jamie just stands there allowing Eddie to move past him and slip into the seat herself.

"Hmmmm." She mutters as she tries to get comfortable in the seat and look around "It's roomy." She admits.

"Now…" the sales associate begins as he again ignores Eddie and looks at Jamie "…this is the baseline model like you wanted but there are other models with more advanced options."

"We don't want the bells and whistles." Eddie rejects.

"And you can add on options even to the baseline model." the guy continues on to Jamie.

"No baseline is fine." Eddie reiterates "Is there one we can test drive?"

"Sure." The guy replies "I'll just need a copy of your driver's license." he asks of Jamie.

"Why are you talking to me?" Jamie suddenly inquires.

"Huh?" the guy states in confusion.

"She's the one telling you what we're looking for and asking the questions…" Jamie points out "…but yet somehow you seem to only be talking to me."

"Oh um well um…"

"Must be because I'm pregnant." Eddie decides as she looks up at her husband "Certainly couldn't be because I'm a woman right? Not in this day and age." she challenges.

"Oh no." The salesman almost immediately rejects with an awkward little laugh "Of course not."

"Right." Eddie muses. "Maybe I'd get more respect if I had actually driven up in my own Porsche." She ponders before again looking up at her husband "Told you we should have brought her."

"Oh!" The guy states with a smile as he looks between Jamie and Eddie but once again settles his gaze on Jamie "You already own a Porsche?"

Amazed the guy is still doing it, Jamie points at his wife "SHE…" he emphasizes "…owns a Porsche. Not me. HER! A vintage Boxster – very sweet ride but you already know that about Boxster's right? And SHE was the one that decided that SHE wanted this new vehicle we are looking for to be a Porsche as well so when SHE asks a question it would be really nice if SHE could get an answer!"

The guy gulps a little at being called out so he plasters a fake smile on his face before turning his attention to Eddie "Driver's license?" he politely asks.

Amazed that she still somehow feels dismissed by this guy even though he is now at least looking at her, Eddie decides enough is enough "I'm suddenly not feeling it." She simply states as she gets out of the vehicle and shuts the door "Thank you for your time." She politely adds with hints of sarcasm before simply beginning to walk to the exit.

The sales guy looks at Jamie "Driver's license?" He inquires still thinking he has a shot at a sale.

Rolling his eyes at this completely clueless guy in front of him, Jamie just turns to follow his wife.

"Unbelievable." Eddie mutters the second both she and Jamie get out the door "Can you believe that guy? There was no way in HELL I was about to give him our business."

"What about me?" A voice calls.

Turning, Jamie and Eddie see a woman come out the dealership door and stand there "What about me?" the woman reiterates "Give me 5 minutes of your time and I promise I will make it worth your while. Hi I'm Lydia." She greets as she extends her hand out to Eddie "And you are?"

"Eddie." Eddie greets as she shakes her hand.

"Eddie." The woman cordially repeats before turning her attention to Jamie.

"Jamie." Jamie offers as he extends his hand and the two shake as well.

"Eddie and Jamie." The woman repeats "Nice to meet you both. Now come on, I have another 4 minutes and 45 seconds to show you why you made the right choice in wanting a Porsche Macan baseline model." she states before opening the door to the showroom and gesturing for the couple to walk back inside "Anyone thirty? Coffee? Tea? Water?"

Eddie leans over to her husband "Her I like!" She quips in a whisper before moving to walk inside again with Jamie following.

…..

"I can't believe we just bought an SUV." Eddie states in awe as she and Jamie walk into the kitchen from the garage.

"Wasn't that the goal?" Jamie laughs.

"Well I know." Eddie agrees "And we are definitely taking my baby when we go pick up our new baby." she laughs "I want to rub it in what's his name's face."

"You know, he never even introduced himself to us." Jamie realizes "How that guy actually makes any sales is beyond me."

"Well Lydia is a dream." Eddie gushes "Takes a woman!" She proudly and arrogantly quips.

"Okay there are still plenty of good guy salemen out there too." Jamie defends.

"Not at that dealership apparently." Eddie retorts before letting out a heavy breath in relief "We're getting there Jamie. Got the house. Got a car – just need to finish the nursery now."

"Got the treehouse though…" Jamie cheekily points out "So... if worse came to worse…"

"You'll sleep in the treehouse and the baby and I will share a room for the next 18 years?"

"Ew."

"I know." Eddie laughs "I realized that as soon as I said it but you want to know the craziest thing?"

"Hum?"

"We've both lived in apartments all our adult lives right?"

"Right…" Jamie agrees.

"Always parked our vehicles outdoors in outside lots right?"

"Right." Jamie again agrees.

"I've been back in this house all of what two minutes – now with my own vehicles and I'm freaking out about which vehicle we now have to park outside. I mean sure we have a triple car garage but its only fair Rosa get one space inside so that means one of our three vehicles sits outside. Which one? Because I don't want Porsche 1, Porsche 2 or The Chevelle outside!"

"Porsche 1, Porsche 2?" Jamie laughs.

"I'm trying to come up with names…" Eddie grumbles "It's bad enough we have to name a kid but now we have to name Porsche's too!"

"Hey you were the one that decided it had to be another Porsche! Wouldn't have this problem if we'd bought a different brand."

"Really?" Eddie challenges "Because you wanted a different brand?"

"Well, no." Jamie admits.

"See!" Eddie declares "But my point is how was I ever okay with not parking in a garage before? I've been spoiled Jamie – spoiled!"

"Oh I spoiled you years ago." Jamie suggestively reminds her.

Eddie's eyes widen at his words "Jamie!" She hisses with a laugh.

"Oh it's not like Mia is here right now and she would no idea what that really means anyway."

"You are so bad." Eddie laughs.

"You like bad." Jamie retorts with a wicked little gleam in his eye causing Eddie to blush.

"Stop that!" Eddie chides.

"Why?" Jamie cheekily presses "I like all hot and bothered Eddie. She turns me on."

"You Mister are going to get us in so much trouble!"

"With who?" Jamie challenges with a shrug "We're the only ones here."

"Meow!" Reagan greets.

Eddie points at the cat entering the kitchen "Reagan's here!" She reminds her husband "Hi Buddy!" She then greets the cat.

"And who exactly is he going to tell, his other cat buddies?" Jamie laughs as the cat jumps up on the counter wanting attention "The mice? Oh I know the squirrels in the trees. No." Jamie then chides as he picks the cat up and puts him back on the floor "No jumping on counters."

"He might tell the raccoons." Eddie tosses back "And good luck with that. He's a cat. He'll do what he wants."

"Cats can be trained." Jamie points out.

"Well I'll leave that up to you."

Suddenly Reagan's ears perk up and the cat focuses his attention towards the front of the house but then his eyes go wide, his tail poofs out a bit and he lowers his body to the ground as if on high alert and on edge of possible danger.

"What?" Jamie presses at noticing his actions "What is he reacting too?" he wonders as he moves through the living room to look out the front window and there on the street he sees two guys in a shoving match "Really?" Jamie sighs "I thought this was a nice neighborhood." He adds before looking back at his wife "Normally I wouldn't say this but you're pregnant so please stay here." he requests before heading out the front door.

Hurrying into the living room, Eddie looks out the window to see her husband quickly move down the walk headed straight towards the disturbance "The hell I will. I might be pregnant but I'm not leaving you with no back up either." she mutters as she starts for the door as well.

"HEY! POLICE!" Jamie demands as he displays his shield while moving towards the two guys "BREAK IT UP!" he adds however as one guy looks over to Jamie, the other one takes that opportunity to throw a punch at the distracted guy.

"WHOA!" Jamie cries and runs to try to get between both of them "ENOUGH!" he commands as he somehow manages to succeed and put some distance between the men "Now someone want to explain to me what's going on here?"

"He started it!" The guy that got hit spits at the other "You saw that right? He hit me!"

"He's sleeping with my wife!" the other guy tosses back as they both take a step back towards each other causing Jamie to once again have to try to hold them apart.

"Alright, everyone just calm down!" Jamie demands "Just take a step back and take a breath before this goes any further and I have to arrest someone!"

"He punched me!" the one guy realizes "I want to press charges! Arrest him!"

"ME? Arrest him for adultery!"

"I don't want to arrest anyone but if you keep this up I will arrest both of you for disorderly conduct!"

"And how are you going to do that?" the guy that got punched scoffs "Pretty sure cops only carry one set of handcuffs."

"I'm his backup." Eddie's voice sounds as she stands off to the side a safe distance away looking super unimpressed while holding up her own set of handcuffs. "Two perps. Two cops. Two sets of handcuffs. What do ya say? Want to call it a stalemate and call it a day?"

"He hit me!"

"Did you sleep with his wife?" Eddie challenges.

No response or denial.

"Then call it a day and move on." Eddie decides "Both of you or we will up the stakes and you both will lose."

Beat as no one moves…

"NOW!" Eddie barks out with such force even Jamie cringes as the two guys immediately step back and away from one another but still eye one another "Gooooooooooooo." Eddie growls so one guy goes back in his house and the other gets in his car and drives away.

Jamie and Eddie both watch them leave then Jamie turns to look at his wife "See told you I was looking forward to Whoopass Eddie."

Suddenly clapping is heard.

Jamie and Eddie look around and notice one guy is clapping in a little bit of a crowd that has formed due to a few curious neighbors coming over to see what the commotion was all about.

Now feeling a bit awkward at the attention, Jamie and Eddie just kind of half smile in deflection.

"Okay, shows over folks." Jamie dismisses with a slight wave of his hand "You can all go back home now."

All onlookers except for the one guy that was clapping disperse. This guy instead moves towards them...

"You're the new neighbors aren't you?" He states as he walks up.

"I guess you could say that." Jamie accepts.

"And both cops?" the guy curiously inquires.

Jamie and Eddie nod.

"Wow that must be some salary you are pulling in to be able to afford this place!" the guy laughs "Must be next in line for the Commissioner or something because all I ever hear is how cops are underpaid!"

Jamie flashes a fake smile "Well nice to meet you." he states before he and Eddie turn to head back to their house.

"No seriously." the guy presses "I thought cops didn't make much. How do you afford this place – wait you've got some kind of side deal going on don't you? You must." he deduces "Is it drugs? Ah man!" He whines "Are you bringing a drug house into this neighborhood?"

More than a little bit floored by the way this guy is talking, Eddie abruptly stops walking and turns to face the guy "No we are not bringing drugs into the neighborhood. We are cops okay?"

"Well then how…"

"Let's just say this house has been in my family for years and leave it at that okay?" Eddie interrupts cutting the guy off.

"Oh that makes more sense…" the guy realizes "You must be like one of those trust fund babies right? Just doing the whole cop thing for show? You want to 'make' something of your life?"

Eddie narrows her eyes at the guy in absolute disbelief and Jamie can tell she is about to go off…

"Eddie." He lowly prompts "Come on. Let's just go. We just stopped a scene, let's not start one of our own."

Eddie eyes the guy another moment before plastering a smile on her face "Nice to meet you." she sweetly states before turning and walking back up the path with Jamie to their house.

The minute they get inside and close the door, Eddie turns to look at her husband "Why does there always have to be that one neighbor?" she wonders in awe causing Jamie to just laugh.

And then Eddie starts to laugh herself "Man wait until he finds out you are ACTUALLY the Commissioner's son!"

Jamie immediately stops laughing and looks at his wife imagining the kind of response that might get and more importantly the headache that could potentially create for not only them but his father "If we ever actually have to introduce ourselves to that guy let's tell him our last name is Janko."

Eddie tilts her head to the side "Sure." she accepts before challenging "Make it easy for him to run with the idea that we DO have a side deal going on because its not like my father went to prison for financial fraud or anything."

Jamie hangs his head a moment in defeat but then looks up in in thought and offers "Ruiz?"

Eddie bursts out laughing "Sorry – also drugs."

"Damn." Jamie mutters "It's hard being a squeaky clean stereotypical suburban family with a station wagon…"

"SUV…" Eddie corrects.

"Children." Jamie continues.

"One child – but on the way so I'll still give you that one." Eddie relents

"And a dog…" Jamie continues.

"Cat." Eddie corrects. "But other then that yeah – super hard – especially because you actually are one Mr. Harvard I graduated top of my class like a good Irish catholic boy scout who's never done anything wrong a day in his life."

"Any you love me for it." Jamie tosses back.

For a moment Eddie just looks at her husband.

Jamie raises his eyebrows challenging her to tell him he's wrong.

"Yeah go with Reagan." Eddie decides a second later "That guy won't know what hit him."

"Was never going to be anything else." Jamie admits as his eyes shift to the kitchen when he sees movement "REAGAN!" he calls as he moves towards the cat "GET OFF THE COUNTER!"

"Now there's the rebel of the family." Eddie chuckles as she moves to follow "If we get a dog we should name him Ruiz…" she mutters to herself before looking up "Hey Jamie!" Eddie suddenly calls "If we get a dog we should name him Ruiz!"

"Sure." Jamie agrees "But you know who gets to pick the dog right? Reagan." he states as Reagan once again jumped up on the counter "Because he's the one that has to get along with him."

Eddie shakes her head in amusement "This cat really does run the house now doesn't he?"

"Meow."